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As our time in Europe always had an endpoint to it, we had made of a point of deciding the things we wanted to see. This had the benefit of allowing those among us with organisational inclinations to plan out a travel calendar over a year in advance. Being aware of one’s chosen destinations does come with a price however - the depressing cost of knowing many great alternative locations. To allow for some spontaneous travel then, we had left a few dates blank, notably on long weekends in case of further-flung trips. Easter was charging toward us and uncharacteristically we still had not decided where we were to celebrate crucifying people. We agreed that we would like to be somewhere that embraces the occasion and as we had no plans in the future to go to Italy, it seemed to be a fitting match; we were to have four days to see all we could. For practical reasons it was best to start and end in Milan, I wanted to see Florence and Mia proposed Venice. Handily, with the recently-completed high-speed rail lines around parts of the country, each destination was only three hours from the previous one. We had a plan and we were going to stick to it… religiously.

Nailed it

Milan is conveniently located such that a train from Geneva can arrive in just a few hours, while from Paris it is a major aerian route, meaning frequent and reasonably priced flights are available. We arrived the eve of Good Friday and did little other than sleep due to delayed departure of my flight leading to a late night arrival. We stayed in a little place in Buonarroti which would have received no complaints were there not giant blue neon lights blasting through the windows all night, illuminating the room and creating an ambiance similar to a public bathroom.

We had few plans for the day as we were lucky enough to have a Milanese friend to play tour guide. Our soul objective before meeting up with him was to visit the Duomo di Milano, which is the largest cathedral in Italy and one of the largest in the world. Begun in the 14th century and not completed until the 20th, it makes the construction of even the mighty Köln cathedral seem efficient. Arriving at the Piazza del Duomo, one cannot help but be struck by the sheer scale of the building, it is simply gargantuan. Adding to the amazement is the detailed façade, most notably the buttresses, which are as detailed as they are numerous. The interior of the building is equally stunning, but I will spare you the details other than to say it is certainly a place worth spending some time. One statue that caught our attention was a “man” who was essentially a corpse and was dragging his skin behind him. I am a little unsure of the religious significance of this, but it was certainly something out of the ordinary. To complete our observation of the building, we climbed up to the roof, which was just crazy due to the huge number of people up there and the narrow doorways on the top. It is certainly worth dealing with the inconvenience to be amongst the buttresses however, and I believe one can be treated to a decent view of the nearby Alps; unfortunately we were treated only to overcast weather.

We proceeded to meet up with our friend, then the first order of business was lunch. We sampled the local panzerotti from the clearly well-known Luini just next to the cathedral and sat in Piazza San Fedele whilst we gorged. Not having tried panzerotti previously, I was delighted to learn that they are essentially mini calzones, so there was no way that they could not be delectable. From here we embarked on a walking tour, visiting some of the sights as we went, including the Piazza della Scala which plays host to the city’s famed opera house, before we found some gelato and eventually a café to sit down and enjoy a coffee.

After our little sit down we found ourselves in the modern district of Milano, which is certainly a contrast from the rest of the city, with the towering Unicredit tower, the tallest building not only in the city but in the whole country. The plaza at the base was filled with kicker tables, some of which could handle 10+ people per team. We ended up playing a few games with some super friendly random passers-by, none of whom spoke English so that was fun, but it was rapidly evident that kicker is not nearly as big a “thing” in Australia as in Italy.

We finished our tour with a visit to Castello Sforzesco, a 15th century citadel which underwent extensive reconstruction work in the late 19th century and as such is in fantastic condition. A wander around the premises and the surrounding gardens had us ready to embark on our train trip to Florence. Making our way to the station, we picked up some pizza and jumped on board what are phenomenally new and “shiny” trains. Leather seats and even a crew serving up treats and a drink really made things feel a bit different from the TGV or ICE services that I was used to. A few short hours later we arrived in Florence to a mess of people at the station and some vague directions to our accommodation as provided by our host. The city is serviced by buses only; however the signage of routes, stops and all other essential items relating to bus travel left a lot to be desired. We could not find the appropriate stop or anywhere to purchase tickets, so when eventually we spotted the right numbered bus, we jumped aboard without caring. As punishment, we were subjected to the bus ride, which was simply violent. Driving was undertaken with such aggression and no stops were announced so the simple fact we were able to be set down anywhere near our destination was a miracle.

We were staying in an AirBnB property in the east city which was a lovely apartment and our hosts were extremely nice and welcoming, having prepared all the tourist essentials and just being genuinely friendly. We decided to head into town to have a drink before bed and ended up on a bar on Borgo la Croce, which seemed to be where it was all happening. After having a good Friday, we called it a night and headed home to get some rest, before a big day of super tourism.

Hard to breathe

Our plan for Florence was much like that of everyone else: visit the old town and see as many sights as you can handle. We had pre-purchased tickets for the Uffizi, however the system for collection and entry leaves a lot to be desired. We were scheduled for 1000, and upon arrival at 0930 we were told to go away and come back at 1000. We went and grabbed some breakfast – which was a seriously good idea – and wandered around in the rain looking for an ATM, which were significantly more sparse than they should be. Upon returning at 1000, it was impossible to get near the collection point. I eventually pushed my way to the front, only to be told by the same guy that I should have been there earlier, around 0940 or so. I was allowed to pass and collect my tickets, however accomplishing this whilst suppressing my rage was no mean feat. The gallery was terrific, and of a much more appropriate size compared to its contemporaries, but it was pretty squishy in there!

The alleyways only add to the grandeur of the Duomo

Leaving the gallery was much more pleasant than entering, in large part due to the heavy rain having subsided. In addition, it was lunch time and that is always an exciting prospect. We wandered the streets and alleys looking for a place to get something tasty and eventually stumbled upon a little restaurant called Acqua Al 2. It was very small and had a great vibe – and the pasta was fantastic. While dining, we noticed that there were many plates of “celebrities” on the wall, the most striking of which was that of my favourite band Dream Theater. “We are not worthy” comes to mind.

Being stuffed and satisfied meant that we were ready to take on the demoralising task of visiting the cathedral. There are few religious building more famous than or as impressive as the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and with good reason, it is simply stunning. This beauty comes with a price though: people. There is not much to be said that has not already been said of the building, but as an avid lover of coloured marble, the basilica was everything I had hoped for. Well, the exterior anyway. Perhaps it was because of the imminent Easter celebrations, but the interior was empty. The décor was not lavish like other cathedrals (like Milan, for example) and as such we did not spend too long looking around. Like everywhere in Florence, you have to line up to exit the building – I remember being blown away as we were nearing the front and an American 40-something woman pushed to the front, shoved some elderly people out of the way and announced that their college group had to exit as a group together, very effectively cutting the line with the reason that they were numerous.

Upon exiting, we decided to climb Giotto’s Campanile, but ate up a good amount of time just waiting to gain access, which was not made all that pleasant by the (once-again) pouring rain. As we reached the summit, we were apparently not wet enough so the weather deteriorated further and just pounded us with rain and strong winds. The summit was thus somewhat forgettable, but I really enjoyed the middle sections; the view over the uniformly structured and coloured roofs encasing the basilica is quite a sight. Upon touching down, the weather had started to clear and blue skies were coming into view.

The ticket of the Campanile also comprises the Basilica dome, which was closed early due to Easter, as well as the baptistery. The Battistero di San Giovanni was an unexpected joy for me, I really had not been expecting much and instead was confronted with the golden mosaic lining the ceiling, one of the most impressive works of tesserae I have ever seen. We passed a decent amount of time just gazing up at the roof in admiration. Soon after, it was the occasion for city strolling and finding ice cream. The city was really buzzing in preparation of Easter, in particular the Piazza della Repubblica and Palazzo Vecchio were all really lively. We wandered over to the Basilica di Santa Croce in search of more marble wonders; though it was closed upon our arrival, we were still able to marvel at the marble.

It was starting to get dark at this point and we were getting hungry. Upon the recommendation from our AirBnB host, we headed over to the Piazza Santo Spirito and found a restaurant - the food was nothing to write home about, but the beer sure did go down smoothly after a long day of touristing. To cap off the evening, we wandered up to Piazzale Michelangelo, which is the spot to go if you want a view over the city. And what a view! The basilica tears right through the heart of the city and there is something just really special about the town. After a little wine we called it a night, wandered back to our apartment and readied ourselves for the resurrection.

Hanging around

We awoke on Easter morning to some fine weather and set off to the morning’s activity: the Scoppio del Carro. The story goes: during the first crusades, when Jerusalem was besieged, the first man to apparently scale the walls was a Florentine named Pazzino de' Pazzi. As a reward, he was given some flint from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which he brought back to Florence. It then became custom to start a “holy fire” from said flint around Easter time, and by the 15th century, the event had evolved into its current form. Namely, a giant cart filled to the brim with fireworks is parked in front of the cathedral, and the cardinal inside the basilica uses the holy fire to light the fuse of a mechanical dove, which then shoots from the alter outside to the cart, thus igniting the fireworks. I think there was some non-linear evolution there, but it did make for quite the spectacle.

We arrived at the Piazza del Duomo about 40 minutes before the scheduled commencement and it was packed, a solid mass of people from wall to wall. Taking a long route around, we ended up on the southern side of the cathedral with an acceptable view of events. These really took a while to get going, but once they were, it was just crazy. It was mainly firecrackers which adorned the ornate cart with the occasional firework detonating above, all the while the bells housed inside the campanile were sounding. This went on for a good twenty or so minutes and by the end, one could not see a thing due to the dense cloud of smoke left behind from the fireworks.

Once it was all wrapped up, everyone left in a group. This would be fine; however the people who were at the back decided this was their time to head in for a closer look. They were eventually so numerous and forceful that they succeeded in clogging all the ways in and out, leading to mass gridlock. It was only once people started shouting to explain that the people coming in had to let everyone out before they came in, otherwise nobody could go anywhere, that things started to move again. Much of what was said caused everyone to have quite the laugh, but our non-existent Italian skills left us in the dark.

We slowly headed in the direction of the train station as we were continuing on to Venice, and along the way we encountered a market in Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Perhaps it was because we were finally having some nice weather, but this was one of the nicest parts of our time in Florence for me, as we found some tasty food – a wild boar sandwich – along with many fine treats, everything that one can ask for from a market. After taking in the delicacies, we dashed over to the station where we boarded the train destined for Venice.

Some 3 hours later we pulled in at Venezia Santa Lucia where you are presented with the reality of Venice. Even though I was well aware of what the famed city was like, it was just mind-blowing to see it in person - it really is a city sitting atop some water. We had again organised our accommodation through AirBnB so the first destination was Campo Santa Maria Formosa to meet our host. We took the scam that is the ferry service to Rialto and fumbled our way through the streets to our apartment. It became obvious that the guy whom we were meeting was filling in for the owner, as he was quite lax, spoke very little English and gave us zero information. He went to show us the apartment, but the key he had did not work, so he just disappeared without saying anything – he did leave his shopping, so we did not panic – and returned a few minutes later with a key that worked provided it was jiggled correctly. Once we were in the door he was out of there, so we had a look around before we headed out to explore.

From there, the first stop was Piazza San Marco, or should I say, the first destination was Piazza San Marco, as we stopped multiple times before we got there due to merely meandering in the direction of the square. The little alleyways would be a nightmare if you were heading anywhere in a rush, but whilst strolling they are fantastic. The architecture that is unique to the city gives it such a strong flavour that it is just delightful to wander. We eventually arrived at Saint Marc’s square which is something pretty special. As it was late afternoon, there were not so many people around but it also meant that the attractions were not running at full steam; for example, we were denied admission to Basilica di San Marco. The campanile was still open and was worth the short wait to go up, although I was less impressed that the elevator was the only means of ascending or descending.

We had decided not to head into any of the big attractions but rather just wander the streets and take in whatever the city was giving out. Highlights included having a Spritz below the Ponte dell'Accademia, the area around Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, and the basilica itself. It was quite nice meandering around the southern stretch of the city and watching the sun set before we sat down to some dinner, but the best was the post-dinner wandering. The day-trippers had drained from the island and the frequency of boats had dropped to zero, so the walkways and canals were deserted, allowing one to really take in the place. I remember the advice of one of my friends some years ago was exactly this: to stay in Venice and explore by night, and I could not agree more. It is a little more expensive (accommodation on the island generally costs more), but it will be the best thing that you do. We had the entire city to traverse, and we ended up at a gorgeous wine bar, sitting out in the street drinking in what might be described as a near-perfect situation - certainly not a bad way to finish off the night.

Crossed paths

Our little apartment on the Rio del Mondo Novo was quite charming, but the practicalities of boats cruising around at all hours makes for a turbulent sleep. During the course of the night, the weather had degraded from really nice to abysmal which put a bit of a dampener on things. We packed up and headed out into the city, but Venice can quickly lose its charm when there is heavy rain. The practicalities of mild flooding as well as impossibly narrow alleyways with a large number of people all endeavouring to have their umbrella space creates absolute chaos, not to mention poses a serious risk of eye damage from umbrella “pointy bits” for the tall population.

We spent the morning strolling around, checking out some shops as well as snacking on any local delicacy which looked good. At one point the rain was so fierce that we bailed into a snooty café at the Palazzo dei Dieci Savi just to escape for a while and we were rewarded with bad coffee which was ruthlessly expensive. The dry time was appreciated though. Before too long we found ourselves near the station to head back to Milan for our impending departures.

On arrival in Milan, we were greeted by slightly improved weather, where the heavy rain had been traded for drizzle, which was at least manageable. We only a short amount of time to kill, so we wandered in the vague direction of the city centre and happened across a market, thankfully the good kind. It was a really local affair and was possibly a special event tied to Easter Monday. In any case, we had a good gander but ultimately ended up departing in search of some ice cream. This brought us into the town centre via Via Monte Napoleone, that is, the fancy shopping district, which is not really my scene and something we had initially tried to avoid. The saving grace of Milan’s shopping culture is the absolute gem that is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. In the centre, it was easy to find ice cream, which after no time at all served as a metaphor for our high-speed tour of Italy: delicious, colourful but finished.

Adventures

Nailed it

Hard to breathe

Hanging around

Crossed paths